Carlos Tevez: Ex-Manchester United, Man City and West Ham striker retires

Carlos Tevez has confirmed his retirement from professional football at the age of 38 following the death of his father.

Tevez played in the Premier League from 2006 until 2013, memorably helping rescue West Ham from relegation in 2006-07 and swapping Manchester United for Manchester City in 2009.

He had most recently been playing at home in Argentina with boyhood club Boca Juniors.

Tevez cited the loss of his father in early 2021 as a key part of his decision to stop playing, despite having offers to continue, including in MLS.

Playing the last year was very difficult but I was able to see my old man. I stopped playing because I lost my number one fan.

"I have retired, it is confirmed," he said in an interview with America TV on Friday night. "They offered me many things, including from the United States. But that's it, I have given everything.

"Playing the last year was very difficult but I was able to see my old man. I stopped playing because I lost my number one fan."

Tevez, who also played for Juventus, Corinthians and Shanghai Shenhua, finishes his career with 308 goals from 746 club appearances. He won 76 caps for Argentina, scoring 13 goals.

'Welcome to Manchester'

Anyone thinking Tevez would seek to avoid controversy in England after his eventful single season with West Ham was very much mistaken. Kia Joorabchian, the striker's representative, battled for his client's exit from Upton Park and eventually secured him a two-year loan to Manchester United.

Tevez's time at Old Trafford was highly productive, and along with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, he formed a lethal front three that helped United to Premier League titles in 2008 and 2009, while he also helped Sir Alex Ferguson's side lift the Champions League and Club World Cup in 2008, as well as the League Cup in 2009.

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He scored 34 goals in 99 games for United and was offered the chance to remain at Old Trafford permanently, but spurned the opportunity in favour of a shock move to bitter rivals Manchester City, who were embarking on an ambitious recruitment drive after Sheikh Mansour's takeover a year earlier. City marked Tevez's arrival with the infamous 'Welcome to Manchester' billboard in the city centre.

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Tevez scored 73 goals in 148 games for City, where he helped the club to the FA Cup in 2011 and their first Premier League title in 2012. But his time at the Etihad was no less dramatic than his time in the red half of Manchester, and saw him submit a transfer request - which he later withdrew - in December 2010.

Less than a year later, Tevez was accused by City manager Roberto Mancini of refusing to come off the bench during a game against Bayern Munich. Tevez labelled the episode a misunderstanding, but he was suspended by the club and then placed on gardening leave, before eventually returning to Manchester nearly five months later.

Tevez was reintegrated into Mancini's side, and even played in the famous 3-2 win over QPR that secured the 2012 title, but eventually left the club in June 2013 when he signed a three-year contract with Juventus.

Sheffield United, West Ham and the Tevez saga

Tevez's surprise arrival at Upton Park alongside Javier Mascherano in August 2006 was adjudged to have broken Premier League rules over third-party ownership of players. The Hammers were fined £5.5m for the breach but were crucially spared a points deduction, a ruling that set them on a collision course with Sheffield United.

It would end with Tevez inspiring West Ham to safety on the final day of the 2006/07 season at the expense of the Blades, who were relegated on goal difference and sent spiralling into a decade of decline, the scars of which still run deep.

Here's a look back at how the Tevez saga unfolded...

August 31, 2006: West Ham stun the world of football with the Deadline Day signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. The contracts of the Argentine duo were previously held by agent Kia Joorabchian's company, MSI.

March 2, 2007: The Premier League charges West Ham for breaching Rule B13 and Rule U18 in relation to the signings of Tevez and Mascherano.

April 4, 2007: A three-man panel is appointed by the Premier League to investigate West Ham's signings of Tevez and Mascherano.

April 27, 2007: West Ham receive a £5.5m fine but are spared a points deduction after pleading guilty to breaking Premier League rules. The verdict also rules "the registration of Carlos Tevez could be terminated by the Premier League", but Tevez is later cleared to play in the Hammers' remaining fixtures of the 2006/07 season.

May 13, 2007: The final day of the 2006/07 season. Tevez scores for the seventh time in West Ham's final 10 games to secure a 1-0 victory over champions Manchester United at Old Trafford. The result ensures West Ham avoid relegation at the expense of Sheffield United, who are relegated on goal difference after a 2-1 defeat at home to Wigan.

July 3, 2007: Sheffield United file "arbitration proceedings" against the Premier League on May 16, within three days of the final day of the season, in a bid to overturn the decision not to deduct points from West Ham, but an arbitration panel dismisses their claim over the Tevez affair.

July 13, 2007: Sheffield United explore the possibility of an appeal to the High Court but the Blades' attempt to gain leave is refused.

August 16, 2007: Sheffield United announce their intention to sue West Ham for the cost of relegation from the Premier League, a claim the Hammers describe as "desperate".

September 23, 2008: An independent arbitration hearing rules in favour of Sheffield United in their compensation claim from West Ham.

March 16, 2009: West Ham and Sheffield United reach an out-of-court settlement to end their dispute over the Tevez transfer.

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